In the end it wasn't about winning the European title but running one of the great 10,000 metres of all time. It was the night when Paula Radcliffe may have come closest to the limits of distance running but definitely ensured her place in athletics history. Ian O'Riordan in Munich

It was a night, too, that brought out the absolute best in Sonia O'Sullivan. If she was to lose her European title, then she wouldn't lose it without some sort of fight, and her silver medal arrived with a new Irish record of 30 minutes 47.59 seconds - six seconds faster than the record set at the Sydney Olympics.

Radcliffe, though, had just run faster than any other European in history. Only the 29.31.78 run by China's Wang Junxia in 1993 stood in the way of a world record. Yet by finishing in 30.01.09 she clipped 12 seconds off the previous European mark set by Ingrid Kristiansen, the time that still has a more credible ring to it.

On a better night for running Radcliffe would certainly have broken the magical 30 minutes for only the second time in history. Rain streamed down relentlessly on Munich's Olympic Stadium throughout the 25 laps, the sort of conditions that usually slow down athletes dramatically.

Not Radcliffe. She put herself in front from the gun and with the opening lap immediately established record pace.

For O'Sullivan, the opening couple of laps seemed to pass pleasantly enough. After exactly five circuits Radcliffe took a quick look around and then set her face resolutely towards her destination.

And she didn't once need to look back.

By then the 27 runners were already scattered around the track, and a few laps later only O'Sullivan had any chance of catching Radcliffe should she slow. Instead, the British athlete cut an awesome figure with each passing lap and O'Sullivan's target became the silver medal. The unbearable acceptance of being dropped set in.

Drenched to the skin but still smiling, O'Sullivan simply bowed to the superiority of Radcliffe on the night.

"It's a funny kind of feeling," she said. "It's not elation anyway. When you don't win the race, and somebody finishes 300 metres ahead of you, then you get a little bit concerned about why you're not up there.

"But Paula has been through 10,000 metre running a lot more times than I have. I'd be more of a racer than a pacer. From the start the pace was hot, but then I knew it was going to be. And if I wasn't going to win I had to be at least second.

"There was a few times when I really had to concentrate, because you do get distracted when you're not winning the race. But I do feel she was a bit far ahead. At the same time I'm glad I ran. Silver medals are not there to be thrown away. They're there to be collected. I had a chance to win and if I didn't I wanted the silver medal."

The fact is Radcliffe has been striving towards this level of performance since her raw talent first revealed itself when she won the World Junior Cross Country title in 1992. Every season has shown some sort of progression. Squeaky clean. Vorsprung durch Technik, as they say in Germany.

"Well, the first thing was to win the race," she said. "But I've wanted that European record for a while now as well. I'm a little disappointed that I didn't go under 30 minutes and up to halfway I definitely thought I could do it.

"Maybe I went out a little too fast early on. But I really believed I could run that fast because of all the mental strength I've got from running the marathon."

At 28, Radcliffe surely has even more improving to do. Later today she'll test the legs and decide whether to come out tomorrow for the heats of the 5,000 metres. O'Sullivan is more likely to double, but suggested she may come back for the 1,500 metres rather than the prospect of facing Radcliffe again.

"I'll definitely run something. I'll talk to Alan (Storey) and make up my mind then. I knew I wouldn't be as good as Radcliffe at concentrating for 25 laps. I need to be bit more tactical. And play a few more games early on."

But she definitely wasn't downhearted. And she was only half joking when asked if anyone could have beaten the Radcliffe in that sort of form.

"Maybe the Chinese. I tried, but there are different levels along the way. Paula was running 30.40 two years ago and has just been chipping away. But that was one of the best. She was unlucky she didn't get under 30 minutes."

With Radcliffe so far ahead, passing halfway in 14.57.65 and already 100 metres clear of O'Sullivan, it was hardly championship running at its most typical.

Portugal's hope, Fernanda Ribeiro, dropped out shortly afterwards as the pace remained explosive, and Russia's Lyudmilla Biktasheva eventually came through for bronze in a lifetime best of 31.04.00. Mihaela Botesan set a Romanian record of 31.13.96 in fourth.

For O'Sullivan it became a task of counting down the 25 laps without thinking of them as laps. Her commitment over the closing laps was remarkable and never was her silver medal threatened. As she approaches her 33rd birthday it's clear her love for championship running has not waned. This morning, when she collects her silver, her hunger for more will be as great as ever.

The two other Irish entrants struggled with the pace. Maria Davenport eventually finished 17th in 32.35.11, and Ann Keenan-Buckley 26th in 33.19.94. In years to come, though, they can look back and say they were there. Nights like this don't come around in distance running too often.